
"It's not you, it's me."
It's a cliche often trotted out during a breakup to soften the blow.
It's the dumper's attempt to lessen the burden on the dumpee. An easy, succinct way of saying you did nothing wrong, there's nothing intrinsically damaged about you, it's just that I've changed. I want different things now.
Sometimes it's true. Often it's not.
But in the case of the Australian public's breakup with The Bachelor it's 100 per cent accurate.
You see, The Bachelor hasn't changed. We have.
Watch the trailer for The Bachelor 2021. Post continues below.
When Channel Ten first announced Jimmy Nicholson as this year's Bachelor, there was a frisson of excitement amongst those of us who partake in the hobby of watching a bunch of women compete for the affection of a man on a TV show.
We've been watching this show for almost 10 years now and it's well-entrenched in Australian pop culture. It's one of the very few 'appointment TV shows' left.
For many years it has brought people together. In their best friend's living room. On Twitter. In the group chat. At the office 'water cooler' the next day.
And yes, the audience is overwhelmingly women.
The Bachelor offered women a little mid-week escape from their office jobs, the juggle of looking after kids and ageing parents, and all the rest of the bullsh*t that comes from just getting through daily life.
It was like a familiar, comforting blanket we could snuggle up to two nights a week.
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